Panelists

Does Hip Hop Hate Women?

Does Hip-Hop Hate Women?Throughout the last several years of its 30-year existence, hip-hop has revealed itself as a national cultural arts movement. At the same time, hip-hop culture has been a positive force in the lives of youth relative to art, business and social activism. Despite these constructive influences, arguably the most well-known fact about the culture is its lyrics and music videos that degrade women. In fact, for many, the term hip-hop, in the last decade, has become synonymous with misogyny and homophobia. As hip-hop is the defining culture in the lives of American youth, naturally the question arises, “how is it shaping the new war of the sexes?

The goals of this townhall style meeting conducted by leading hip-hop intellectuals, artists and activists are to help young people think through the range of issues associated with this dilemma; place on the table the tensions and animosities between young men and women that some hip-hop music exacerbates; and finally, present youth with viable strategies they can implement in their personal lives and organizations.

How is hip-hop contributing to the misogyny and homophobia in our national culture?

How do degrading images of women affect women, girls, men and boys?

What are hip-hop artists and activists presenting as alternatives to the dominant representations?